An interesting miniseries for its premise and for some flashes of greatness in various characters, but one that leaves much to be desired in terms of execution.
"Marvel Zombies" is a production packed with entertainment and gore-filled scenes for fans of the genre as well as comic book readers (even if they don't have much in common). However, the miniseries takes you thru four high-energy episodes filled with character interactions that can make you smile with their comedy or simply disconnect you from the main narrative. Nevertheless, it tackles an interesting theme with enormous potential and offers glimpses of greatness at various moments.
It stems from the episode seen in the "What If...?" series and expands the lore of that universe, with the aim of delivering an interesting story that could resonate strongly with fans, although various script choices may prove counterproductive depending on each viewer's expectations.
The work of director Bryan Andrews should be highlighted, as he delivers a product full of entertainment with simple merit, allowing viewers to enjoy a couple of hours with these characters and their adventures. Although it's not excellent, it fulfills its objective of bringing creativity and taking the risk of new ideas in this genre of animation.
Among its aspects, I can highlight the conceptual art, the color palette, the design of some characters, the sound, the atmosphere, several special effects, and those small shifts in pacing that enhance the experience with each episode. Speaking of animation, it's perhaps a bit better than what we saw in "What If...?", but it still remains on the fringes. It should be noted that there are some striking sequences that may surprise you.
I've been really struck by several scenes featuring some very interesting one-shot takes, rotating combat sequences, the focus on creative kills, and those moments of pure cruelty, all of which add so much to this miniseries. I think they're among the strongest points of the four episodes.
Now, "Marvel Zombies" isn't perfect; it won't change everything Marvel Animation has done, nor does it intend to-it's simply another miniseries to boost entertainment and keep consumers engaged. In fact, you could say it's on par with this year's "Eyes of Wakanda," but far below "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man," and don't even get me started on "X-Men '97." Even so, it's fun and fulfills its goal of entertaining.
In another sense, I think the miniseries could have been better and surprised audiences more, perhaps with other executions that were more favorable to its overall theme. The choice of characters can be a very controversial and debatable point, and it's entirely understandable (not to mention the forced comedy). The depth sometimes leaves much to be desired, but it's not that bad either. In my experience, the combat moments featuring Blade, Namor, Spider-Man, and Black Panther are super enjoyable, with well-executed animation and special effects. Scarlet Witch as the counterpart is a real treat.
